Tobacco Tax Initiative Certified for November Ballot

The Secretary of State’s office makes it official: The tobacco tax initiative has been certified for the November ballot. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan had initially ruled that the number of valid signatures collected from the 5th Congressional District in Kansas City was 274 short of the amount needed. Supporters of the initiative filed a court challenge to the finding, saying they had found more than a thousand valid signatures that had been mistakenly rejected. Earlier this week, Cole County Circuit Judge Tom Brown agreed with the plaintiffs – the Committee for a Healthy Future – and ordered the initiative onto the ballot. The Secretary of State has now complied with that order. An appeal of Judge Brown’s ruling has been filed with the Western District Court of Appeals in Kansas City.